All-Ireland champions Meath have named a strong side for Sunday's National Football League final at Croke Park. Thirteen of the team which beat Cork last September will line out against Derry with Richie Kealy and Ronan Fitzsimons the only changes in place of the injured Enda McManus and Nigel Nestor.
The side shows three changes from the team which beat Kerry in the League semi-final two weeks ago. Paul Shankey, Anthony Moyles, Nigel Nestor and Jody Devine are replaced by Mark O'Reilly, Hank Traynor, John McDermott and Evan Kelly - all four of whom were on the All-Ireland winning team.
Derry welcome back Henry Downey for the weekend's final. The All-Ireland winning captain of 1993 had missed the last five weeks due to injury followed by time off for his wedding and honeymoon. He returns at centre back in a side which shows two changes of personnel from the side which defeated Roscommon in the semifinal two weeks ago.
Ryan Dougan who played left corner back that day and Niall McOscar drop out to make way for Johnny McBride and Downey. The latter is a straight swap but McBride comes in at left corner forward allowing the versatile Gary Coleman revert to corner back.
Eamonn Coleman and his selectors leave a vacancy on the left wing of the defence to allow Paul McFlynn as much time as possible to prove his fitness. Derry have been making it clear during the week that they wouldn't risk any player who was carrying an injury because of their impending championship opening in a week's time.
Compared to the side which drew with Meath two months ago in Celtic Park, Derry's back nine remain the same but there are three changes to the attack which looks stronger for the addition of Benny Murray, Eamonn Burns and the inform Enda Muldoon.
DERRY: O McCloskey; D O'Neill, SM Lockhart, G Coleman; K McKeever, H Downey, AN Other; A Tohill, D Heaney; B Murray, D Dougan, R Rocks; E Burns, E Muldoon, J McBride.
MEATH: C Sullivan; M O'Reilly, D Fay, C Murphy; R Kealy, H Traynor, P reynolds; N Crawford, J McDermott; E Kelly, R Fitzsimons, T Giles; O Murphy, G Geraghty, D Curtis.
The GAA has announced that a limited number of tickets for Sunday's National Football League final will go on sale this morning at 10.00. Tickets for both the Hill 16 terrace and the New Stand will be available at £6 and £12 respectively while stocks last. Access is via James's Avenue off Clonliffe Road.
Dublin and Louth will conclude their championship preparations with a challenge match to mark the opening of Newtown Blues grounds at Newfoundwell Road in Drogheda. This match takes place at 7.00 on May 28th and is part of a festival week organised by the club to raise funds for redevelopment.
Joe Quaid, Dave Clarke and Ciaran Carey will for the first time since last summer line out together for Limerick hurlers who take on Clare in a challenge to mark the opening of the Meelick GAA field on Sunday (5.30).
Manager Eamon Cregan has thrown all three into action from the start and they will be fighting for their places on the Munster championship side next month.
The Meelick club is situated on the Limerick-Clare border and was once used by the army for training facilities. It was there in the 1950s that the hungarian refugees were accommodated.
LIMERICK (SH v Clare) - J Quaid, D Clarke, T Hayes, D Ryan, B Callanan, W O'Brien, W Walsh, M O'Brien, T McLoughlin, J Comican, C Carey, D Hennessy, J Butler, D Stapleton, K Tobin.
MONAGHAN (Ulster JHC v Tyrone in Dungannon on Sunday at 3.30): M McHugh P Ward, D Bolger, N McGuigan, J McConnell, T Ryan, D Connolly, R Woods, J Gallagher, P Kelly, J Harding, G Sullivan, M Kelly, G Curley, P McKenna.
